Clarkson Nips Crimson, 6-4 In ECAC Tourney Opener

Harvard will not repeat last year's ECAC hockey championship. The Crimson dropped a volatile 6-4 affair to Clarkson last night in upstate New York, and will have to be content with almost but not quite upsetting one of the hardest-hitting teams in the East.

As the close score would indicate, the Golden Knights pulled this one out by barely out-shooting and barely out-skating the Crimson. Clarkson held a 5-2 lead late in the second period, but Harvard fought back to within one goal with about seven minutes left in the game. Then the Knights scored again, and the Harvard hockey season was all over.

All four Harvard goals came while the line of Gene Kinasewich, Bill Fryer, and Baldy Smith were on the ice. Defenseman Mike Patterson scored twice, both on assist from Smith, while Kinasewich and Fryer netted one each.

FIRST PERIOD

After Clarkson pressed in the early minutes, Harvard got a break when two Knights were penalized less than a minute apart. The Crimson took advantage of the penalties at 3:43 when Mike Patterson scored from the blue line on a pass from the corner from Baldy Smith.

Following a Bill Fryer shot that hit a post. Brian Wilkinson evened the score at 10:00 on an unassisted goal. The Knights continued to outskate the Crimson, even during a Clarkson penalty. They went ahead at 9:20 just eleven seconds after a penalty to Crimson wing Kenny Burns, when captain Roger Purdy scored on a pass from linemate Cosby Adams.

SECOND PERIOD

Harvard trailed 5-3 after a free-wheeling second period. Wilkinson scored for Clarkson on a back-hander from Adams at 2:45 during a Harvard penalty, as the Knights controlled play for the first ten minutes.

Then Bill Fryer brought the Crimson back to life by tipping in Gene Kinasewich's drive. Harvard was pressing for the tying goal when at 15:43 Clarkson's Harry Dunn scored on a long shot which took a crazy bounce in front of Crimson goalie Brandy Sweitzer.

Just 35 seconds later Tom Hurley scored from a scramble in front of Sweitzer to give the Knights a three-goal lead. But this time it was Harvard's turn to score after a Clarkson threat, as Kinasewich stole the puck at the Clarkson blue line and skated in alone to make it 5-3.

THIRD PERIOD

Kinasewich and like lkauniks just missed the Clarkson net as Harvard tried to fight its way back into the game early in the final period. Finally at 12:42 Patterson scored his second goal on another Smith pass, and the Crimson was one goal away.

But the Knights were not about to lose their second ECAC game in two years to Harvard. Adams iced it at 15:40 on Wilkinson's centering pass, and Clarkson kept the puck away from their own net for the rest of the game.